Spinal implant system and method

Abstract

An instrument includes an outer sleeve defining a passageway and extending along an axis between proximal and distal ends. A knob sleeve is positioned in the passageway and defines a bore and a sleeve cavity. A latch is positioned in the sleeve cavity. A shaft is positioned in the bore. An inner sleeve is positioned between the knob sleeve and the shaft. A proximal end of the inner sleeve defines a notch. The knob sleeve is movable relative to the outer sleeve to move the instrument between a first orientation in which the latch is positioned in the notch and the inner sleeve is prevented from translating along the axis and a second orientation in which the latch is spaced apart from the notch and the inner sleeve is translatable along the axis. Systems, implants and methods are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A surgical instrument comprising:
 an outer sleeve extending along a longitudinal axis between opposite proximal and distal ends, the outer sleeve defining a passageway; 
 a knob sleeve positioned in the passageway, the knob sleeve defining a bore and a sleeve cavity; 
 a latch positioned in the sleeve cavity; 
 a shaft positioned in the bore and comprising a proximal end extending through the proximal end of the outer sleeve and a distal end extending through the distal end of the outer sleeve, the distal end of the shaft comprising a drive; and 
 an inner sleeve having a proximal end positioned between the knob sleeve and the shaft and an opposite distal end comprising a threaded outer surface, the proximal end of the inner sleeve defining a notch, 
 wherein the knob sleeve is movable relative to the outer sleeve to move the instrument between a first orientation in which the latch is positioned in the notch and the inner sleeve is prevented from translating relative to the outer sleeve along the longitudinal axis and a second orientation in which the latch is spaced apart from the notch and the inner sleeve is translatable relative to the outer sleeve along the longitudinal axis, the instrument being biased to the first orientation. 
 
     
     
       2. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 1 , wherein the knob sleeve includes at least one spring configured to bias the instrument to the first orientation. 
     
     
       3. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 2 , wherein the at least one spring extends parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       4. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 1 , wherein the inner sleeve is removable from the outer sleeve, the knob sleeve and the shaft when the instrument is in the second orientation. 
     
     
       5. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 1 , wherein the knob sleeve is configured to translate relative to the outer sleeve along the longitudinal axis to move the instrument from the first orientation to the second orientation. 
     
     
       6. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 1 , wherein the knob sleeve is configured to translate proximally relative to the outer sleeve along the longitudinal axis to move the instrument from the first orientation to the second orientation. 
     
     
       7. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 1 , wherein the drive is configured for disposal in a socket of a screw while the threaded outer surface mates with a threaded inner surface of the screw. 
     
     
       8. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a screw, the drive being configured for disposal in a socket of the screw while the threaded outer surface mates with a threaded inner surface of the screw. 
     
     
       9. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the outer sleeve defines an aperture, the knob sleeve comprising a proximal portion positioned in the aperture and a distal portion positioned in the passageway, the sleeve cavity being disposed in the proximal portion, the instrument further comprising a knob coupled to the proximal portion, the knob comprising a knob cavity, a first end of the latch being positioned in the knob cavity and an opposite second end of the latch being positioned in the sleeve cavity. 
     
     
       10. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 9 , wherein the latch defines a hole extending into the first end of the latch, the instrument further comprising a spring having a first end directly engaging the knob and a second positioned in the hole. 
     
     
       11. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 10 , wherein the spring extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       12. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the outer sleeve defines an aperture, the knob sleeve comprising a proximal portion positioned in the aperture and a distal portion positioned in the passageway, the sleeve cavity being disposed in the proximal portion, the proximal portion comprising spaced apart grooves disposed radially about the proximal portion, the instrument further comprising a knob coupled to proximal portion, the knob comprising spaced apart tabs disposed radially about the knob, the tabs each being aligned with one of the grooves, the instrument comprising a spring positioned in each of the grooves such that the springs each engage one of the tabs, the springs being configured to bias the instrument to the first orientation. 
     
     
       13. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 12 , wherein the springs extend parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       14. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 12 , wherein the springs each include a proximal end that directly engages a proximal wall of the knob sleeve and an opposite distal end that directly engages one of the tabs, the proximal wall and the tabs each extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       15. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 1 , wherein the knob sleeve has an inner surface defining a hexagonal configuration and the inner sleeve comprises an outer surface having a hexagonal configuration that mates with the inner surface of the knob sleeve that defines the hexagonal configuration of the knob sleeve such that rotating the knob sleeve relative to the outer sleeve also rotates the inner sleeve relative to the outer sleeve. 
     
     
       16. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 1 , wherein the shaft is permanently fixed relative to the outer sleeve. 
     
     
       17. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the outer sleeve defines an aperture, the knob sleeve comprising a proximal portion positioned in the aperture and a distal portion positioned in the passageway, the sleeve cavity being disposed in the proximal portion, the instrument further comprising a knob coupled to proximal portion, the instrument comprising a pin that extends through the knob and into the knob sleeve to couple the knob to the knob sleeve such that rotation of the knob relative to the outer sleeve also rotates the knob sleeve relative to the outer sleeve. 
     
     
       18. The surgical instrument recited in  claim 1 , wherein the knob sleeve has an inner surface defining a first configuration and the inner sleeve comprises an outer surface having a second configuration that mates with the inner surface of the knob sleeve that defines the first configuration of the knob sleeve such that rotating the knob sleeve relative to the outer sleeve also rotates the inner sleeve relative to the outer sleeve. 
     
     
       19. A surgical instrument comprising:
 an outer sleeve extending along a longitudinal axis between opposite proximal and distal ends, the proximal end defining an aperture, the distal end defining a passageway; 
 a knob sleeve defining a bore and having a proximal portion positioned in the aperture and a distal portion positioned in the passageway, the proximal portion defining a first sleeve cavity and a second sleeve cavity; 
 a knob coupled to the proximal portion by spaced apart pins that each extend through the knob and into the knob sleeve such that rotation of the knob relative to the outer sleeve also rotates the knob sleeve relative to the outer sleeve, the knob defining a first knob cavity aligned with the first sleeve cavity and a second knob cavity aligned with the second sleeve cavity; 
 a first latch having a first end positioned in the first knob cavity and a second end positioned in the first sleeve cavity, the first latch having a spring positioned in a hole in the first end of the first latch; 
 a second latch having a first end positioned in the second knob cavity and a second end positioned in the second sleeve cavity, the second latch having a spring positioned in a hole in the first end of the second latch; 
 a shaft positioned in the bore and comprising a proximal end extending through the proximal end of the outer sleeve and a distal end extending through the distal end of the outer sleeve, the distal end of the shaft comprising a drive, the shaft being permanently fixed relative to the outer sleeve; and 
 an inner sleeve having a proximal end positioned between the knob sleeve and the shaft and an opposite distal end comprising a threaded outer surface, the proximal end of the inner sleeve including a circumferential notch, 
 wherein the knob is movable relative to the outer sleeve to move the instrument between a first orientation in which the latches are positioned in the notch and the inner sleeve is prevented from translating relative to the outer sleeve along the longitudinal axis and a second orientation in which the latches are spaced apart from the notch and the inner sleeve is translatable relative to the outer sleeve along the longitudinal axis, the instrument being biased to the first orientation. 
 
     
     
       20. A surgical instrument comprising:
 an outer sleeve extending along a longitudinal axis between opposite proximal and distal ends, the proximal end defining an aperture, the distal end defining a passageway; 
 a knob sleeve defining a bore and having a proximal portion positioned in the aperture and a distal portion positioned in the passageway, the proximal portion defining a first sleeve cavity and a second sleeve cavity; 
 a knob coupled to the proximal portion by spaced apart pins that each extend through the knob and into the knob shaft such that rotation of the knob relative to the outer sleeve also rotates the knob sleeve relative to the outer sleeve, the knob defining a first knob cavity aligned with the first sleeve cavity and a second knob cavity aligned with the second sleeve cavity; 
 a first latch having a first end positioned in the first knob cavity and a second end positioned in the first sleeve cavity, the first latch having a spring positioned in a hole in the first end of the first latch, the second end of the first latch including a first ramp; 
 a second latch having a first end positioned in the second knob cavity and a second end positioned in the second sleeve cavity, the second latch having a spring positioned in a hole in the first end of the second latch, the second end of the second latch including a second ramp; 
 a shaft positioned in the bore and comprising a proximal end extending through the proximal end of the outer sleeve and a distal end extending through the distal end of the outer sleeve, the distal end of the shaft comprising a drive, the shaft being permanently fixed relative to the outer sleeve; and 
 an inner sleeve having a proximal end positioned between the knob sleeve and the shaft and an opposite distal end comprising a threaded outer surface, the proximal end of the inner sleeve including a circumferential flange defining a circumferential ramp and a notch, 
 wherein the knob is movable relative to the outer sleeve to move the instrument between a first orientation, a second orientation and a third orientation, the inner sleeve being distal to the bore when the instrument is in the first orientation, the latches being positioned in the notch when the instrument is in the second orientation such that the inner sleeve is prevented from translating relative to the outer sleeve along the longitudinal axis, the latches being spaced apart from the notch and a portion of the inner sleeve being positioned in the bore when the instrument is in the third orientation such that the inner sleeve is translatable relative to the outer sleeve along the longitudinal axis; the instrument being biased to the first orientation, and 
 wherein the circumferential ramp slides along the ramps of the latches as the instrument moves from the first orientation to the second orientation.